England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Draw
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
